Lay Summary

Proposal No. IBD-0118
Principal Investigator:  George H. Greeley, Jr., Ph.D.
Applicant Organization:  The University of Texas Medical Branch (Galveston, U.S.A.)
Project Title:  Protective and repair action of apelin, a new enteric protein, on the intestinal mucosa in experimental colitis
Period of Award:  June 1, 2004 - September 30, 2006

In patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the intestinal barrier (i.e., the cells lining the interior of the intestine) is injured and the barrier is compromised.

Apelin is a recently discovered substance produced in the gastrointestinal tract.  Our laboratory has shown that apelin stimulates growth of intestinal epithelial cells.  This suggests that apelin is a potential repair agent.  Apelin exerts its proliferative effects by activating the apelin receptor, the APJ receptor.  This project will explore the role of apelin and the APJ receptor during intestinal inflammation in an animal model and whether intestinal inflammation in patients with IBD show altered patterns of apelin and APJ production.  Since apelin is a potent stimulant of epithelial cell growth, apelin may provide a novel therapy for the prevention and treatment of intestinal ulceration and compromised mucosal integrity in patients with IBD.